HomeMy WebLinkAboutRothschild, Joel _Mayor_and_City_Council_Public_Comment_Form_Submission_RedactedMayor and City Council Public Comment Form
Name:
Joel
Rothschild
First Name
Last Name
Email:
Telephone Number:
a» aax coma
Subject *
Agenda Item 21: Discussion for a Potential One -Year Moratorium on the Sale and Use of Fireworks Within the City of San
Bernardino and/or Additional Strategies t0 Enhance the Citys Enforcementto Reduce the Use of Illegal Fireworks (All Wards)
Pg. 14M
Comments:
Madam Mayor, Councilmembers, and fellow residents, thank you for the opportunity to speak tonight. I am here to speak
with urgency and conviction to address an issue that threatens our community every summer, fireworks.
Personal fireworks are not harmless entertainment They are a proven ignition source for devastating fires across California.
CAL FIRE Chiefjoe Tyler has warned us plainlg'Fireworks are dangerous, they spark fires, and put lives and property at risk'
State Fire Marshal Daniel Berlant echoed this, reminding us that'freworks spark fires. Large grass crops and dry vegetation
increase the threat for devastating fires throughout California'These are not abstract warnings — they are grounded in
hard experience.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, (reworks are the leading cause of fires in the United States on the
Fourth of July. Beyond property damage and wildfires, fireworks can cause life-atering injuries, distress to military veterans
living with PTSD, and harm to household pets.
Here in San Bernardino County, we know the cost of fire all too well. The El Dorado Fire of 2020, ignited by a pyrotechnic
device, burned over 22,000 acres, destroyed homes, and magically claimed the life of a firefighter. The Line Fire of 2024,
though Smaller, %arched thousands of acres in the San Bernardino National Forest and forced evacuations. These fires
remind us that one spark in the wrong place can change lives forever.
San Bernardino County Fire has documented the scale of this problem. In 2025, their Fireworks Interdiction Taskforce
confiscated over 28,000 pounds of illegal fireworks and issued 115 citations totaling $143,750 in fines. These numbers show
the sheer volume of dangerous explosives Flowing into our neighborhoods. And yet, despite enforcement, fireworks
continue to cause fires, injuries and costly emergency responses.
The danger is not limited to wildfires. In recent years, we have seen heartbreaking injuries right here in San Bernardino
County. A ) year old bay lost half his left hand, including fingers, after lighting an M 80 he found hidden in a family
bedroom. An 8 year old girl suffered second and third degree burns when a sparkler ignited her dress, leaving her with
permanent scars. These are not isolated incidents —assa ly, our hospitals treat burns, eye injuries, and blast trauma
from fireworks. Each case represents a child, a family, and a life permanently changed.
Some argue that 'Safe and Sane' fireworks are a compromise. But the reality is clear, the concept does not work. Residents
continue to ignore restrictions above 30th Street, and even so called 'safe and sane'fireworks are used irresponsibly in the
foothills of San Bernardino. In our dry climate, there is no such thing as a safe frework. The cost of injury and emergency
response is too high, and wer cannot afford to continue risking another major wildfire. The potential benefit to a few charities
does not come close to outweighing the consequential risk to everyone in this city.
The evidence Is overwhelming. I am advocating for a ban on all personal fireworks in San Bernardino. Professional firework
shows already provide safe, controlled opportunities for residents to celebrate the birth of our notion. We do not need
backyard homelands to honor Independence Day. What we need is real leadership, responsibility, and a commitment to
protecting lives, homes, and our natural resources.
Attachment
No Fireworknin San Bernardino.dOIX